"Titans... will... CLASH!!" (my caps)

Clash of the Titans
We didn't ask for a remake of Clash of the Titans and, shoot, we certainly didn't need it but it's here, people. It's here and it's angry, it's yelling and -- worst of all -- it will stick you with its giant scorpion tail to the sound of Hungarian metal. Watch the trailer here.

Superheroes
In Dubai anything is possible. If on some crazy and wonderful whim someone in Dubai wanted an island shaped like Donkey Kong made out of angel food cake and to have Megan Fox and Britney Spears wrestle in strawberry sauce on its candy-covered beach to the song stylings of the original line-up of CCR on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and twice on Sundays, they could probably make that happen somehow. So when you hear that they want to have a Marvel Superheroes amusement park with lifelike New York City streets and various forms of Marvel mayhem going on, you gotta believe it'll happen.

Mirror’s Edge
Mirror's Edge is kinda like the Dollhouse of video games. Thanks to heavy buzz, it was expected to revolutionize everything we knew about our favourite artform but instead everyone was meh on it and played something else -- in this case, Left 4 Dead -- instead. Then, seeing it soundly thrashed by critics, a few hipsters held it up as a work of misunderstood genius that they, of course, got. Well, I played Mirror's Edge and I'll tell you: it really was meh. The idea of it may be nice and shiny, but the idea of a monkey commando driving an atomic-powered war-dozer is nice and shiny too and you don't see a ton of those rolling around, do you? Still, I think EA should take another shot at the universe they created and it looks like they may do just that.

Bridges on Iron Man
Jeff Bridges has revealed that there wasn't a script for Iron Man, they just improvised the whole damn thing. Somehow that makes it better. In other "Shellhead" news, here's another poster for Iron Man 2. I gotta say, it doesn't look much different than most of the posters for the first movie.

Metro 2033
Gamespot has a preview of the Russian-set post-apocalyptic shooter. A few things: a) the game has some interesting gameplay features including missions limited by the amount of time your gas mask is useful and having to charge up your flashlight, b) they hosted the event in an actual Moscow metro station! and c) the reporter's name is Guy Cocker, LOL!

And finally…
You hear a lot about how Minnesota Vikings' QB Brett Favre is awesome and whatnot, but now you actually get to hear it. LISTEN!

All about the superheroes

More JSA
Here are some more shots of the various DC heroes that will be appearing on Smallville in a big ole two-hour movie. You've got Hawkman and Green Arrow having a heart-to-heart talk and also Dr. Fate and Stargirl -- who kinda looks like she was dragged along to this whole thing and isn't so happy about it.

The Mighty Thor
There's been a lot of casting news and hubub around the Thor movie lately but I'm still having some trouble getting into the idea. I mean, Thor is even a tough sell sometimes in comics when you get right down to it. Especially when he kicks it with other heroes. Like, him and Spidey hanging out? That's weird, man. Amiright? Anyway, Marvel big dog Joe Quesada is saying that Thor will redefine superhero films. Yay?

And finally…
This is pretty damn funny AND makes me hungry all at once. Wonder Woman, not the secret pizza, of course. (** record scratch! **)

“I made a touchdown!”

No-no
If you know (and love) your baseball, you'll love this. But hey, if you love funny shit, animation and great (true!) stories you will, too.

Alien Legion
Alien Legion was a cool, somewhat obscure comic book graphic novel series from the late '80s, early '90s. Basically it was the foreign legion in space with aliens and humans killing shit across the galaxy. Bonus: the commanding officer was half-snake. It was an enjoyable romp that sometimes did the whole thinly-veiled allegory for contemporary issues thing but overall it was about who these people (and aliens) were before and who they became after joining the legion. And it was pretty violent. You could probably pick up a whack of issues for next to nothing, I would think. And you might want to do it quick because, according to this article, they're looking to turn it into a film/franchise. Could definitely work.

Fringe
I haven't made my love of Fringe a secret. The show's characters and world appeal to me and I don't care who knows it. It's cost me friends and family to do so (it hasn't) but that's the way it has to be -- I am a passionate man in my passions. Now Fox is hoping to attract new viewers to the show with its latest viral campaign. It uses the mysterious (and bald!) Observers and they've been turning up across various Fox properties -- even NFL football! It's all gonna culminate on this week's episode. Sounds good to me.

Awesome long fights
How long will you watch two dudes pummel each other? Answer: probably a lot. With that in mind, here's a great list of the 10 longest, awesomest movie fight scenes of all time.

Hawkman, unfortunately
Sometimes staying true to a super hero's costume can be a mistake. Exhibit A: Hawkman's appearance on Smallville.

Decade
NME has released their top albums of the decade. Yeah, it's a little Brit-centric and, yeah, the Strokes are number one, but it's hard to argue the majority of the choices. Well, maybe Klaxons.

And finally…
The year 2008 was a year where Fallout 3 was released (along with Fable II, GTA IV, Gears 2 and other huge titles). And, still, I think Ubisoft's Prince of Persia reboot was my favourite. Maybe not overall, but as a concept from top to bottom it was genius. One of the greatest things about it was its enigmatic ending. An ending so unique, it's inspired debates ever since. Now Destructoid elloquently opens up the debate again -- and I thank them.

Some good, some bad, some Tuesday

Prince of Persia
In case you haven't been, you know, awake in the last 24 hours, here is the trailer for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I liked Sands of Time the video game a lot. It was a damn fine title. One of the best. Just ask Metacritic. And I like Jake Gyllenhaal. If it weren't for Secretary Maggie, he would be my favorite Gyllenhaal. And I definitely like Gemma Arterton. I don't even have a problem with them adapting the game into a movie/franchise in theory. But this trailer isn't showing me anything. It just seems really bad. Bad accents. Bad jokes. Just bad.

30 Rock? More like Zero Rock, amiright?
Ze Germans don't like ze 30 Rock. Shocking, ja? Nein. Wow, you mean a show rife with (North) American pop culture references, meta riffs and inside jokes can't be funny when it's translated into another language? Crazy.

Trek 2
So MTV tried to get J.J. Abrams to talk a bit about the next Star Trek film and he said some stuff but didn't say anything, know what I mean? That's not the issue for me, though. It makes sense he wouldn't have anything to say because, as far as I can tell, there's nothing to tell. The writers haven't even finalized an idea, let alone a script. No, what bugs me is this continuing (and growing) subtext that the press is perpetuating where Abrams, Orci and Kurtzman HAVE to remake/reboot/reimagine Khan. Why is this happening? I have no doubt that the team behind the films will ignore this but it still bugs me. Can't we just enjoy some new adventures based in the universe? Why do we need to remake something that has no business being remade? I know that everyone involved realizes that what made Star Trek the most successful film in the franchise was that it DIDN'T pander to geeks. I really hope this stops.

Hobbit
Sir Ian McKellan has read the script to the Hobbit film(s) and he approves!

Movie stills
Geek out to this great gallery of movie stills.

Iron Fist
So, Marvel has filed some copyrights for Iron Fist. Can a game be far behind? Or a movie?

And finally…
I guess pole dancing can be a sport?

Happy Halloween

Halloween
Where would we be on Halloween without some hilarious Cracked.com costume mockery?

Scary
Obviously what scares us is about as subjective as things can get. For me, it's suffocation and those flat, saucer-like nipples chicks (usually from the late '70s, early '80s) sometimes get. I suppose if somehow both could be worked into something, I'd be pretty afraid of that as well. (Although, possibly aroused, too.) As far as films go, that's a tough one. I guess I don't really get scared of flicks or games when I'm watching or playing them. It's more that night, after, when I'm in bed and I start thinking about aspects of them that it starts to freak me out a bit. Blair Witch was good for that. Dead Space was, too. Anyway, Den of Geek has a list of movies that scared them. What do y'all think?

Frost vs. Frosting
Nick Frost is a funny dude. Flushing things down the toilet that aren't supposed to be flushed down the toilet is funny, too. Put them together and, well, you've got to feel that that's going to land on the amusing side of things as well.

Thor
This Mighty Thor movie Marvel has been talking about is coming together. In all honesty, I don't care. I understand how Marvel is all excited because someone made some good choices around the Iron Man thing and it turned out awesome for them and the rest of us -- and now they want to parlay that into even more awesomeness. But I don't think that's going to happen. Or at least, I'm skeptical of it. You see, if you learn one thing in this business, it's that awesome doesn't come easy to Hollywood. Still, we've got Kenneth Brannagh directing this thing. And now we've got Sir Anthony Hopkins as Odin. So, maybe?

Not scary but scary
Life is weird sometimes. There are horror movies that aren't scary out there and there are non-horror movies that have scary bits in them. Crazy! IFC has made a list of some of those latter ones.

Jemaine
I always thought that Flight of the Conchords dude Jemaine Clement's first name was actually Jermaine and that Brett's accent made it sound that way when he talked to him. But no, it's JE-maine not JER-maine. Weird. Is Brett's name actually Brit, like how it sounds when JE-maine pronounces it? On top of Jemaine's Conchords chores, he's starring in a new flick from the dudes who brought you Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre called Gentleman Broncos. He's interviewed in AV Club in support of that.

Dead Space 2
Yes. It's confirmed. A sequel. Well, sort of by Reuters. Dead Space was a weird game in that it had a lot of really great things about it but you got to a point where those really great things just stopped mattering and it went from a 9+ out of 10 to an 8+ out of 10. The first chunk is some of the scariest stuff I've experienced in any medium, game or otherwise. Also, the zero-G sequences are mindblowing -- especially some of the horrific shit that happens to you outside the spaceship. Wow. But by the end, you figure out patterns and the game's AI lets it down. You can read my old review, if you'd like, here. I also did an interview with the game's art director, Ian Milham here. I'm interested to see what EA and the team will do with a new game. I think they could hit this one out of the park if they take some of the criticisms out there to heart.

And finally…
Marvel comics is 70 years old. That is insane. I remember when they turned... well, nevermind. The Times Online has a list of facts about them you (probably) didn't know. Also, for any Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 fans out there -- guilty or otherwise -- here's some word on the upcoming DLC, including word that Black Panther is one of the characters. Sweet!

Are you ready to Friday?

The A-Team
What do those new dudes playing the A-Team in that new A-Team movie look like, you may be asking? Why, they look like this, actually. Boom! That's them. Uh, is it wrong if I kinda dig it? Although, as people have mentioned, Liam Neeson is a little... distressing for some reason. At least these guys look like they'll shoot some drug dealing slum lord in the face while saving your family dry cleaning business, instead of creepy dirtbags who would try to pick you up at a bus station like the old dudes did.

Bone (heehee)
If you like comic books graphic novels and haven't read Jeff Smith's absolutely epic and awesome Bone series, well, then you'll be surprised to find out that, in fact, you don't actually like them. It's really that simple. So, go read them. Now, jerkweeds. We'll wait. (I'm lying, we won't.) Smith has recently mentioned that Warner Bros. is looking into creating a trilogy based on the beloved series. Sounds good maybe? Maybe.

Ghost in the Shell
More on the adaptation front: a live action, 3D extravaganza based on groundbreaking 1990s anime classic Ghost in the Shell is building up steam. I'd like for this to be good, I really, really, would, but I don't know.

Good games fail, bad games win
Sometimes bad things happen to good games and vice versa.

How do you say “WTF?” in Japanese?
As the lady says in the article: stick around until the end of the video. It's, uh, surprising to say the least.

Party Down
I don't know if you've seen Party Down but it's a pretty funny show. Any show with Jane Lynch and Martin Starr as cast members is going to be good, right? It's also highly improved and follows a group of struggling actors, screenwriters and other showbiz types working as caterers in LA. Anyway, good news for fans of the show as Lynch and cute-as-a-button guest star Kristen Bell will both be returning this season. Sweet!

And finally…
David Cross is a brave comedian. Fearless? Maybe. Courageous? Undeniably. Anyone who's heard his standup knows this. Well, now we know how far he'll go just to win a bet, too.

Monday (Boo!): NFL observations and the usual fun stuff

Welcome back. Hope you had a great weekend. I took 'er easy and, as a result, I'm a lot further along in Uncharted 2 (about 7.5 hours played; 78% complete) -- and it's definitely one of the year's best, a near-perfect game.

In NFL football, three teams remain undefeated with Denver playing tonight looking to make it four. I gotta say, though, things are kicking into high gear. The Saints are playing amazing football -- with QB Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton playing angry, which is how you win Super Bowls. They're sick of not winning Super Bowls and it's made them angry so now they're playing angry and they're gonna win some Super Bowls.

That's how it's done. There are three ways to win them. Play happy (Joe Namath, John Madden); play angry (the Bears, the Steelers) or play like robots (Patriots, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning). When you fall in between these extremes, you fail. It seems like that makes no sense, but think about it. See?

Anyway, on top of the Saints, you've got Peyton Manning putting on a clinic in Indy and now it looks like Tom Brady just woke up. Five TD passes in a quarter. If you get five in a game you're a hero. I don't even know how a team can have five offensive possessions in a quarter but, wow, okay.

As for Denver and Minnesota: meh, I'm not sold yet. I think the Vikings have a great team but it's going to come down to Favre staying healthy over the stretch and last year he didn't make it. It doesn't look like the Vikes are resting him either, so I don't know. November and December punish teams. Like, beat them to a pulp. We'll see if the old dude makes it.

The Broncs have a coach who appears to be playing angry (for some reason) but I think he's just an asshole -- there's a difference. I kinda feel they're the team that turns in a great 13-3 or 14-2 record but gets knocked out in their first playoff game. Like the Titans last year or the Cowboys the year before. Besides, Kyle Orton's moustache is too ironic to make it past the first round.

Anyway, the season just kicked into high gear and that means we're the ones who win, right? Right. On to the good stuff...

Borderlands
The reviews are starting to come in for this intriguing, stylish, self-styled role-playing-shooter from 2K. I'm hoping I'll get a review copy of this because it looks kinda bitchin'.

Killzone 3?
I liked Killzone 2 a lot. It didn't try to be anything but the best FPS on the market and I think they nailed it. Seeing first hand how much work Guerilla Games put into the various mechanics behind the title, it's no surprise that they'll be fast-tracking the next installment of the franchise using the mad-genius level of fundamentals they created. Read a couple of interviews (here and here) with some of the developers for more insight on the intense creative process.

The future of the X-Men film franchise (do we care?)
Do we care about the X-Men film franchises/properties any more? I mean, after X3 I stopped. Actually, not to be that guy, but I stopped once I heard Brett Ratner was directing X3. I haven't seen Wolverine, but I've heard it's pretty laughable. So I'm not that bullish on other films that might be planned. But they're out there. Oh, yes, they're out there. Here's a full update on where those all stand. In other X-Men news, a new DLC character for the cheesy-but-awesome Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 has been announced and it's Psylocke. That's not so bad, I'm thinking. Although, I really wish there was a huge database of almost all the Marvel characters available because I'd love to come up with some crazy four-hero combos. Here's the first one that comes to mind: Dazzler, Moon Knight, Master of Kung Fu and She-Hulk. Boom! Makes no sense but it's awesome. Also, you could recreate (sort of) some cool teams. Like do up that cool X-Men team that they had for like, two issues, with Dazzler, Psylocke, Havok and Longshot. And, man, how sweet would it be with some Alpha Flight downloads. Canada, represent. (Ugh)

Women of D&D
Topless Robot is an awesome blog. One of the things I like best about them is their in-your-face love of Dungeons & Dragons. They know we've all played it. They know we all know the references. They know we love it. Why hide it? This is one of their best D&D-related countdowns.

And finally…
Your tax dollars at work: The reboot.

"It's that dog. Don't feed it, he'll just follow you around."

January Jones
I really like January Jones. I enjoy her. She has a great name. Is a great actress (see Mad Men). And hey, she isn't afraid to call Ashton Kutcher on his bullshit. So, yeah, all awesome. Mostly, though, she looks good in a pair of garters.

Lady Super-heroes
Staying on a feminist tack, here's a compelling list of lady counterparts to famous dude heroes. You know, like Spider-Woman or Supergirl, etc.

Wild Things
Are y'all ready for the Sendak-powered media storm around Where the Wild Things Are? The film is already starting to get some good reviews, so cool, right? Here are some clips to check out and a gallery of stills if you're still ambivalent or just hate that hipsters have already ruined this thing before its even begun.

Batman: Arkham Asylum
Yeah, it's pretty late, but I wrote a review of the near-revelation of a game. Wanna read it?

Dragon Age: Origins
If you like your games on PC then you're in luck: BioWare is giving PC gamers an opportunity to create their avatars for fantasy orgy Dragon Age: Origins ahead of time. Like, now-ish. Why would you want to do that, you ask? Oh, I don't know, maybe because the game's latest trailer looks something like this. That trailer is forcing me to call it "the jizz." There, I just did that. You're welcome. (Seriously cannot wait to play this game...)

And finally…
If you've got a spare 90 minutes available, you might check out this Pavement documentary available at Pitchfork.